Best Guppy Tank Mates

The best guppy tank mates are peaceful, appropriately sized, comfortable in similar water, and unlikely to nip flowing fins. Compatibility also depends on tank size and group requirements.

Strong community candidates

Corydoras catfish

Peaceful bottom dwellers that need their own group, soft substrate, and enough floor space. Choose a species suited to the tank's temperature.

Platies

Colorful livebearers with similar water preferences. They also reproduce readily, so stocking can increase quickly.

Small peaceful rasboras

Some species can work in a planted community when temperature and water chemistry overlap. They need a proper school.

Nerite snails

Useful algae grazers that generally ignore fish. Protect them from poor water and provide enough natural food.

Compatibility test

Behavior

No persistent chasing or fin nipping

Water

Overlapping temperature and mineral needs

Space

Enough room for every species' group size

Feeding

All fish can reach suitable food

Introduce tank mates carefully

Quarantine when possible, rearrange décor if territorial behavior is likely, and watch the tank during feeding and after lights come on. A combination that works in a large planted tank may fail in a crowded small aquarium.